The present invention generally relates to a machine for use in connection with the fabrication of jewelry, specifically rope chains and, more particularly relates to an automatic soldering machine for automatically soldering rope chains.
A rope chain is a chain in the form of a rope constituted by a helical series of open rings that are interlinked with one another to define a configuration similar to a continuous double-stranded rope.
Prior machines of the general character indicated are exemplified by Tega et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,987; Tega, U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,9001, and Allazzetta et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,664. Allazzetta et al. is specifically directed to a machine by which the fabrication of rope chains is automated. The subject patent notes that linking the open rings found in a rope chain requires great dexterity, manual agility and uninterrupted concentration on the part of the workmen. It further notes that the production of these chains by hand involves long periods of time and consequently is very labor-intensive and leads to a high selling price.
The Allazzetta rope chain fabricating machine and, indeed, several earlier machines have concentrated on automating the process of assembling and interlinking the open rings of a rope chain, in a manner which imparts to the rope chain its characteristic look. The shape of the rope chain is maintained in these machines by reinforcing wires which are threaded through the chain.
In the known production process, subsequent to the automatic assembling of the chain, solder paste is manually applied between pairs of adjacent rings of the rope chain, the chain is heated and the solder sets. Thereafter, the reinforcing wires are removed.
However, the prior art has not tackled the task of automating the soldering operation which is still carried out by hand. The soldering operation therefore consumes a long period of time, depends on less reliable manual labor, and is consequently labor-intensive and more costly.